We all know what it feels like to be stuck in a seemingly endless dating app loop. You scroll through your matches, start messaging someone for a day or so, until one of you inevitably stops replying – and then the swiping starts again.
Well, according to a new lawsuit, this never-ending cycle is actually by design.
On Valentine’s Day, six dating app users filed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing Tinder, Hinge and other Match dating apps of using addictive, game-like features to encourage “compulsive use”.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of California, says Match purposely designs its dating platforms with features that “lock users into a perpetual pay-to-play loop” prioritising profit over actually helping users to find meaningful relationships.
The suit claims that this turns users into “addicts” who are then hooked – sucked into buying ever-more-expensive subscriptions to access premium features that promise greater romantic success.
“Match’s business model depends on generating returns through the monopolisation of users’ attention, and Match has guaranteed its market success by fomenting dating app addiction that drives expensive subscriptions and perpetual use,” it reads.
The claimants accuse Match of having a “predatory” business model and using “recognised dopamine-manipulating product features”.
Whether or not the lawsuit will be successful, it is undeniable that dating apps have fundamentally changed the way we seek romantic relationships. In the space of just a decade or so, the perception of them especially amongst younger generations seems to have shifted from being something that was the preserve of the tech-savvy, to one of the most common ways to meet a potential partner.
In fact, a recent survey suggested that millennials spend 10 hours a week swiping on the apps.
“The constant flow of matches, messages, and potential connections activates the release of dopamine in our brain, which is associated with pleasure and reward,” says dating expert Sophie Cress.
“This process creates a cycle where users get hooked on the anticipation of finding a match or receiving validation through likes and messages, similar to the thrill of gambling.”
“This can be particularly challenging for individuals struggling with their self-esteem or feelings of loneliness, as they may rely heavily on the validation from these apps to feel desirable or worthy.”
One study suggested that couples who meet online are slightly more likely to have less satisfying and less stable marriages than couples who meet offline, although the study does not prove the two are causally linked.
Cress thinks that this is because the apps create a “paradox of choice”.
“People may prioritise quantity over quality, seeking temporary connections for validation and instant gratification, rather than investing in authentic relationships,” says Cress.
“This can lead to a paradox of choice where individuals struggle to choose and end up serial dating or constantly searching for something better, making it harder to build deep, meaningful relationships based on mutual respect and commitment.”
Dating is now big business – the global dating app business was valued at around $8 billion in 2022 (around £6.3 billion), steadily increasing since 2015.
Though the lawsuit focuses on adults, it comes as tech companies are facing increasing scrutiny over addictive features that damage young people’s mental health. Dozens of states in the US have filed a lawsuit against Meta accusing it of damaging young people’s mental health by designing features on Instagram and Facebook that keep children addicted.
“These platforms are highly lucrative and compulsion is a key part of social media systems in general,” says Lee Mackinnon, a lecturer at the London College of Communication who is completing a PhD on the gamification of dating apps.
“Once you begin to look at the structures deployed by these corporations…it is hard not to feel cynical and surprised by tactics, and also by the potential vulnerability of users.”
Cress agrees.
“[These] platforms operate as businesses with the aim of generating revenue – their primary objective,” she says. “This often means that they adopt strategies to maximise user engagement and monetisation that may come at the expense of user well-being.
“Ghosting, breadcrumbing, and other forms of unclear communication that are prevalent on dating apps can cause anxiety and uncertainty.”
But how much of the anxieties around dating are actually new?
“I [would] argue that modern romantic love…has a history of 'playful' and 'game-like' qualities which help to mask its more questionable qualities,” Mackinnon says.
“We can think of gamification as its latest and most virulent form of marketisation.”
When approached for comment, Match Group said: "This lawsuit is ridiculous and has zero merit. Our business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics. We actively strive to get people on dates every day and off our apps. Anyone who states anything else doesn't understand the purpose and mission of our entire industry."
